Gilsland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gilsland is the village which provides a pivotal amenity centre for visitors touring the most spectacular section of Hadrian's Wall and the many other features of historical interest in this area of rugged Border country, popularised by the Romantic novelist Sir Walter Scott.
The village has a population of about 400, most of whom live on the Northumberland side of the River Irthing and Poltross Burn. Close by is Gilsland Spa, famous in the past for its sulphurous spa waters.
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[edit] History
Gilsland uncomfortably straddles the border between Cumbria and Northumberland. This unusual arrangement, incorporating two county councils and three civil parish councils, is due to the gradual amalgamation of hamlets during the 19th century. The opening of a railway station in the 1830s led to a boom in tourism, centred on the spa, with a consequent boom in development, particularly of large guest-houses. In the 1860s the name of the station was changed from Rose Hill to Gilsland, and residents of Rosehill, Mumpshall, Crooks and surrounding farms and hamlets were invited to think of themselves as Gilsland, the name having been derived from the surrounding Barony of Gilsland, seat of the Howards. The idea has still not really caught on.
In the recent past, occupation has mainly been in farming and building trades, also haulage, and a flourishing white-lining business is located in the village.
[edit] Present
Today the village is somewhat isolated, as it always has been, with large tracts of forestry and high ground to the north and south. The A69 east-west trunk road runs nearby, providing access to Hexham and Carlisle within half-an-hour by car, or the closer small towns of Haltwhistle and Brampton in minutes. Bus services are intermittent and disorganised, and the railway station has been closed.
Large amounts of funding are currently being poured into promotion of the area for tourism, and residents are increasingly offering facilities such as accommodation in response. Tourist preferences and government funding are both notoriously fickle, however, and it remains to be seen how reliable a source of income this will be.
[edit] General information
Postcode of Post Office: CA8 7BE
GPS (WGS84) - N54.99134 W002.57368
NGR - NY6339 6645
[edit] External links
- Visit Cumbria - Excellent aerial and other photos and information.
- Gilsland Bits & Pieces - Accommodation guide with comment and reviews on historical sites, attractions, walks etc.
